Massage device.



, Patented Feb. ll, I902,

C. l. PBDBEN &. G. FISCHER, IR. MASSAGE DEVICE.

(Application filed. June 21, 1901.)

(No Model.)

qwmmw Z7 .9 ig 'awvewtovs 35 Um ivwax? UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. PROBEN AND GEORGE FISCHER, JR, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y

MASSAGE DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,064, dated. February 11, 1902.

Application filed .Tune 21, 1901. Serial No. 65,407. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES I. PROBEN and GEORGE FISCHER, Jr., residents of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented an Improved Massage Device, of which the following is a full, clear. and exact description.

Our invention relates to massaging apparatus, more particularly to that class of selfmassage devices employing a ball for manipulation uponv the muscles; and the invention has forits object to produce a massage-roller which will be simple in construction, durable and efficient in use, and in which the massage-ball may be freely manipulated upon the muscles in every direction and whose parts may be readily assembled or disconnected.

The invention consists in the novel details of improvement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved massage-roller. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal crosssection thereof, the ball being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a central section of the same on the line at a: of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 4. is a plan or top view of Fig 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the stem or handle of our massage device.

D and D are two arms or sections adapted to be placed in juxtaposition, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The inner face of one of these separable sections is shown more clearly in Fig. 3. These arm-like sections D D are curved on theirinner faces, as shown, and are so constructed as to snugly hold the ball I between them and prevent the same from dropping out, but so as to permit the ball to have free movement in any direction. The free ends E of these arms D D extend slightly beyond the circumference of the ball I and are bent slightly inwardly, as shown, and the edges of said free ends of the arms D D are slightly curved, as at c, to prevent the ball from slipping outlaterally. (See Fig. 4'.) The lower portion of each of the arms D D has screwthreaded shank like extensions 0, which engage and are locked in an interiorly- .terial, such as glass, ivory, 85c.

screw-threaded sleeve or socket B upon the handle A. (See Fig. 2.) Upon the arms or sections D D is a shoulder h, against which the upper end of the sleeve or socket B engages. (See Fig. 2.

To facilitate the movement of the ball I and to avoid friction as far as possible, we provide at suitable points upon the inner face of the arms D D a series of antifriction-rollers of approved construction and held in place by any desired means, but preferably as shown, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) f indicating countersunk plates, in which are suitable recesses for the reception of the antifriction-rollers g, and f indicating the top plate, having an opening through which the antifriction-rollers g project, said top plate being flush with the inner face of the sections D D. The plates ff are held in place by the screw 71. These antifriction-rollers are preferably located at opposite sides of an equator or great circle of the ball I, one set of said rollers being provided at or near the free ends of the arms D D, as shown. The ball is disconnected by simply unscrewing the sleeve or socketB from the shank-like extensions of the separable divisions or arms D D, whereupon the same will fall apart and the ball be removed, and to assemble the parts it is only necessary to reverse this procedure-v). 6. to place the ball I between the arms D D and interlock said arms by screwing the sleeve or socket B upon their shank-like screw-threaded extensions (see Fig. 2) up against the shoulders h.

Our improved massage-roller is intended to be utilized for heavy massage treatment, the ball I being a heavy steel ball and weighing from five to ten pounds, according to requirements; but it is of course understood that the ball I may be made of any other suitable ma- It will be noted that by our improved construction of ball-retainer the ball can be manipulated upon the muscles of the patient in any and every direction, and the operator is enabled to exert a heavy pressure upon the handle while manipulating the ball, and the ball may be rolled in every direction without changing the position of the handle A.

Our improved instrument being readily disconnected, as above described, balls of different weights may be easily and quickly substituted by theoperator, a feature of great advantage for massaging difierent parts of the body.

By having the ball I projecting laterally from the arms D D, as shown, it will be obvious that the ball can be caused to rub or operate upon certain parts by moving the handle substantially parallel with the portion of the body being treated, whereas this would not be feasible were the handle held perpendicular to the parts to be massaged.

The handle A may be provided with a central longitudinal opening for the passage of an electrode for introducing an electric current to the ball I for electric massage treatment; but We do not claim this feature as part of our invention.

Witnesses: I

FRED B. WILSON, VAL. FISCHER. 

